(March 4, 2009)--More than 100 students attended UTSA's first Black History Knowledge Bowl Feb. 24 in the University Center on the 1604 Campus. As part of Black History Month, student contestants were challenged to demonstrate their knowledge of heroic accomplishments in African-American history.
The first-place team included members of the student organization UMOJA. Derek Bell, Pardeis Heidari and Ben King split the $900 prize.
In second place was Team CAP, which won $600. Team members were Justin Wu, Evan Schutzu and Andrew Smejdir.
Taking third place was Team Locke, winning $300. Team members were Dencia Baltimore, Jamila Babawnde and Justin McKinney.
The fourth-place team was Omega Psi Phi with members Jeffrey Mercer, Christian Menefee and Chris Boldon.
Subjects included in the competition were culture, education, politics and political leaders, medicine and health, sports, general knowledge, military, music, movies, television, literature, arts and theater, among others.
The event moderator was Sonja Lanehart, UTSA professor and holder of the Brackenridge Endowed Chair in Literature and the Humanities. Judges were Kirsten Gardner, UTSA associate professor of history, and Marcheta Evans, UTSA associate professor and chair of the Department of Counseling.
Sponsored by the UTSA Provost's Core Values Initiative, the event goal is to foster UTSA's core values of integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation.
Co-sponsors were the UTSA Black Faculty and Staff Association, The Brackenridge Fund, the UTSA College of Education and Human Development, the UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center, African-American Studies, the UTSA Department of History and the University Center.